The manufacture or preparation of alcohols utilizing an olefinic hydrocarbon is known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,106,521 discloses a method for manufacturing oxygen-containing compounds such as alcohols, ethers, esters, etc. by treating an olefinic hydrocarbon with an acid-acting media such as sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, pyrophosphoric acid, or with aqueous solutions of suspensions of acid-acting salts such as sodium bisulfate. The patent also teaches that the concentration in which such acid-acting media may be used will depend on the nature of the acid-acting compound and the olefinic hydrocarbon which is to be treated, concentrations of acid ranging from about 40% to about 100%. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 2,045,842 discloses a process for the hydration of olefins and particularly ethylene to prepare ethyl alcohol. The reference teaches that the process is effected in the presence of dilute solutions of an acid or other hydration catalysts and, in addition to these compounds, the reaction medium may contain metals, salts, or other substances capable of promoting the adsorption of ethylene. These ethylene adsorption compounds could include silver, copper, silver sulfate, calcium sulfate, lead sulfate, iron sulfate, etc., the compounds being conveniently employed in an amount of between 0.5 to 4% of the solution; also other proportions may be employed. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,050,442 and 2,050,444 relate to a method for preparing ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol respectively. In the former, ethylene is prepared by placing a mixture of ethylene and steam into intimate contact with a dilute sulfuric acid solution and also teaches that silver or silver sulfate, as well as lithium sulfate, may be used as a promoter to enable the process to be carried out at a lower temperature than has heretofore been used. The latter patent is similar in nature to the patent just discussed, but treats propylene with water vapor in the presence of a sulfuric acid catalyst and in the presence, if so desired, of silver, silver sulfate, or lithium sulfate as a promoter. Another prior patent which teaches the production of aliphatic alcohols is British specification No. 368,935 which teaches the treatment of ethylene with a catalyst such as sodium acid sulfate, potassium acid sulfate, aluminum acid sulfate, and other sulfates having an acid property.
As will hereinafter be shown in greater detail, it has now been discovered that alcohols may be produced by the hydration of olefins in the presence of an acidic catalyst and also in the presence of a corrosion inhibitor whereby it is possible to prepare the desired alcohols utilizing reaction equipment which is relatively inexpensive in nature as an equipment cost and, due to the presence of the corrosion inhibitor, will not require either protective maintenance or replacement as would be necessary when effecting the process in the absence of such corrosion inhibitor compounds.